


Sgrub Zeta

by theqwertyup7



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Alternia, Attempted Interactivity, Casteism | Hemophobia (Homestuck), Derse, Feel free to interact as well I accept all suggestions, Fuckery, God Tier, I need more friends who'd even be into this, I'm a big dumb so don't expect it to work well, Multi, Music, Prospit, SBURB, SGRUB, Shenanigans, Troll Romance (Homestuck), Trolls, fansession, quadrants, you know the drill
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-25
Updated: 2020-05-16
Packaged: 2020-07-19 20:27:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 91
Words: 10,723
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19980025
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theqwertyup7/pseuds/theqwertyup7
Summary: Twelve Trolls play a game. But because there's no narrator willing to draw it in full due to his lack of artistic ability and patience to build said ability up, he'll settle for scripting it out via text. Interactions welcome!





	1. Sgrub Zeta

> A troll stands in a respiteblock. His horns begin at a diagonal, but sharply turn to be horizontal after a few inches. His black hair is messy and of a medium length, and it falls around his horns and ends just behind the fins on the sides of his head, just behind his jaw. He wears a plain black shirt and pants, his shirt having his sign (pictured below) on it, like all trolls. A pair of light blue headphones hang around his neck.
> 
> His respiteblock is much less plain-looking than he is. The multi-paned window looks out over an ocean, the hive itself seeming to be mostly submerged in the water. The walls are a plain dark grey, and a single poster is on the wall, showing off an Album Cover.
> 
> In addition to the sparse wall decoration, a simple blue recuperacoon sits in a corner. In the other visible corner from this angle is a desk with a husktop on it. The desk is also littered with pieces of paper and other junk, as well as various bits of recording technology more advanced than what humans have and speakers that seem pretty standard, actually.

* * *

**A young troll stands in his respiteblock. Although it has been just over six sweeps since the troll escaped the caverns, it is only today he will be given a name.**

**What will the name of this young troll be?**


	2. ==>

> **Nice try, smartass.**


	3. Try again.

> **That's more like it.**


	4. ==>

**As you could surely tell by the previous confirmation, your name is SILVAN QWERTY. You are at the VERY TOP OF THE HEMOSPECTRUM, but while most trolls would do just about anything to be in your position, you just DON'T WANT TO BE IN IT at all. You are STRONGLY AGAINST the CASTE SYSTEM, and HATE IT WHEN PEOPLE TREAT YOU LIKE ROYALTY. As much as you hate this, though, you are TECHNICALLY ROYALTY, and are very much a CANDIDATE FOR THE THRONE, and have been TRAINING HARD all your life to have a CHANCE at ending the BATTLE WITH THE QUEEN alive. In addition, you've had to STAY IN HIDING for the most part, as if WORD OF YOUR EXISTENCE got out to the QUEEN, no doubt she'd fly here immediately to KILL YOU.**

**Your biggest FEAR is being alone, something your LONG LIFESPAN makes a distinct possibility in the future. As such, it takes SOME EFFORT on your part to COME OUT OF YOUR SHELL and make friends, but one YOU'RE GLAD YOU DO. You have a great deal of RESPECTABILITY in your group, always willing to STICK YOUR NECK OUT and help no matter what, but knowing WHEN TO DRAW THE LINE. Your hobbies include MAKING MUSIC on your computer and READING. While you're not one to BRAG, you're starting to MAKE A NAME FOR YOURSELF IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY, and one of your ALBUMS even made it big! Your trollian handle is **defectiveHighblood** , and you've always tr13d your b3st to sp3ak v3ry cl3arly, w1thout much fla1r. **.****

**You recently managed to get THIRTEEN COPIES of a certain GAME that would start to become QUITE THE CRAZE on Alternia soon. You plan on playing it with a group of friends today.**

**What will you do now?**


	5. Acquire arms from desk

> Silvan raises his arms to show that there is no need.
> 
> The view is moved back somewhat, revealing a door just out of sight of the first viewing of the room. Leaning up against the wall next to the door is a golden trident without much adornment.

**No need to try and find arms in the desk, you've got your own. Would they even be able to fit in there anyway? It'd be a tight fit, and certainly not one you'd be able to get the arms out of without arms of your own. Thankfully, you do indeed have arms. Two of them, in fact! Look at all these arms, it's amazing that thoughts like finding another set even still occur to you, but you're very sure it'll come in handy later. Maybe.**


	6. Examine Poster

> **Ah, a fine piece of work. It's the poster version of the album cover from _Oceans in the Alternian Sky_ , an album from Alternia's latest up-and-coming musician, Defective Highblood. Whoever this musician is, you're sure he's really cool and not a loser who has nothing better to do than make music all day.**

**Of course, you don't have the poster up out of any kind of vanity. No, in your opinion, the album was passable at best. It's the album cover you liked. It was a gift, after all, from a good friend of yours. You have a smaller version in your desk that's signed, but you're careful not to damage that one so you keep it tucked away safely.**


	7. Allocate Trident to strife specibus

> Silvan holds the trident in his hand, blinking at the viewer.
> 
> The trident then disappears, and his strife deck appears in the top corner, showing the Tridentkind card already in the deck and the gold trident equipped.

**That's right. If you're going to be going out, you should probably equip this, just in case. After all, you'll have to get past your lusus, not to mention the dangers of Alternia that are, as always, extremely present.**

**You've been training with this trident ever since you could hold it, so returning it to your strife specibus feels like second nature to you now.**


	8. Confront your lusus

> Silvan looks outside his window, seeing the water ripple in the distance. His husktop gains a chat bubble telling us he's being trolled by someone with a blue sign like this:

**He's too far away right now. Besides, you'd rather not deal with that encounter until it's time to go ashore.**

**Oh, it looks like someone's messaging you anyways. No use ignoring him, he's one of the ones you like.**


	9. Answer your friend

> \-- beguiledCozen [BC] began trolling defectiveHighblood [DH] \-- 

BC: HeY SilV

BC: YoU TherE?

BC: DoN'T WanT TO KeeP YoU IF YoU'RE BusY IT'S JusT

BC: TodaY'S ThE DaY!

BC: I StilL DoN'T KnoW WhaT ThE DaY MeanS BuT YoU MentioneD WE'D BE PlayinG A ReallY ImportanT GamE

BC: MaybE IT'S A LittlE EarlY BuT I CaN SeE ThE DeliveravageR CominG UP

BC: IT'S GoT A FeW HiveS TO GeT ThrougH BeforE MinE, ThougH

BC: HavE YoU GoT YouR PackagE YeT?

DH: oh h3y!

DH: y3ah today 1s th3 day!

DH: [:)

DH: not y3t, 1 can't r1sk us1ng th3 d3l1v3ravag3r so 1'm just wa1t1ng on a cour13r

DH: 1'm sur3 my lusus w1ll l3t m3 know wh3n th3y arr1v3

BC: I GeT YoU, HehE

BC: I'LL StarT CleaninG UP, I GuesS

BC: GeT PresentablE

BC: I'M SO ExciteD TO PlaY WitH EveryonE!

DH: m3 too, h3h3

DH: 3v3n 1f 1 don't l1k3 ALL of th3m

BC: ThaT'S JusT HoW FriendS ArE, DummY S:P

DH: h3h3h3

DH: your3 not wrong

DH: alr1ght! s33 you 1n a b1t

BC: SeE YoU!

\-- defectiveHighblood [DH] gave up trolling beguiledCozen [BC] \--


	10. Look for your lusus again.

> Silvan looks off into the distance through his window. The rippling in the water is approaching slowly, but otherwise nothing has changed.

**It's only been a couple minutes, unless there's something important your custodian won't be home for quite some time. You're counting on that, actually-- as soon as your courier starts to get close, no doubt the protective guardian would rush home to inform you.**

**Of course, getting by him to actually get to the courier will be difficult, as always. Hence why you needed your trident.**


	11. Get in your coon and wait it out

> Silvan looks at the blue recuperacoon and climbs on top of it, standing at the edge of the hole he uses to get in.

**You shouldn't... you don't want to fall asleep and risk missing your courier. It would be not just embarrassing, but totally devastating if you were the only one who didn't get your copy of the game- considering you're the one that went through ridiculous amounts of effort to get all the copies in the first place.**

**I mean, it's not like this game is easy to come by. Some trolls aren't even aware it exists, unless they made their own copy or something. You only managed to find out this pre-pre-release was even a thing because of a friend who likes sticking their nose where it technically doesn't belong. Getting all thirteen copies currently made required a lot more caegars than you'd like to admit and quite a few Quasi-Legal activities, but realistically, it won't really matter in the end.**

**After all, your dreams have never been wrong before.**


	12. [S] Fiddle with your music for a while to pass the time

> Silvan stands at his husktop. He raises a hand dramatically, as if about to perform an impressive display of pressing keys in a practiced way to make a masterpiece of sound.
> 
> Instead, he simply presses a button on the keyboard and music starts playing.
> 
> [The music is clearly one he's already finished and sees no use recreating, since that isn't as elegant as playing standard instruments.](https://soundcloud.com/qwert-sqwert-623345701/fornever)


	13. Glub like a fish and shit on your desk

> Silvan stares at his desk with a look of horror, shaking his head slowly.

**N... no.**

**You start to wonder if these thoughts really have your best interests at heart.**

**Glubbing like a fish is one thing, even if you haven't done it in a good while, but why the hell would you... no! You have all your important stuff on there, and besides, even if you cleared it off that's just a very unhygienic and frankly disgusting idea.**


	14. ==>

> While Silvan continues to display his distaste in the previous idea, another chatbubble appears, this time showing a totally different sign:

**Honestly, you're starting to wonder if you should oh hey who's this?**


	15. Find out who this is.

> \-- impairedOverseer [IO] began trolling defectiveHighblood [DH] \-- 

IO: Hey!

IO: It just arri\/ed!

IO: To/d you Id be first (:c 

DH: so you d1d, h3h3

IO: So I fi9ure yours shou/d be arri\/in9 any time now

DH: 1f you'r3 r1ght, y3ah! and you do t3nd to b3 r1ght

DH: 1t's a l1ttl3 fr3aky how oft3n you'r3 r1ght, 1f 1'm b31ng hon3st.

IO: I\/e ne\/er had any reason to doubt my intuition!

DH: m3 n31th3r, that's my po1nt, h3h

IO: Hehehe

IO: Anyway, you remember what to do when CP 9ets her copy, ri9ht?

DH: r3lax, of cours3 1 do

DH: sh3 downloads th3 s3rv3r and 1 download th3 cl13nt, and onc3 1'm 1n 1 download my s3rv3r and so on.

DH: 1 was th3r3 wh3n w3 mad3 th3 plan, r3m3mb3r?

IO: Yeah, my bad. I just don't want to screw it up, this is /ike

IO: REA//Y bi9!

DH: y3ah, 1 know! r3m3mb3r, you'r3 not th3 only on3 who knows th1ngs.

IO: Yeah, but at /east I pay attention when I can /earn thin9s 

DH: 1 pay att3nt1on som3t1m3s! 3nough to know th1s. 

IO: Suuuuure q;c 

DH: ah what3v3r, 1 gu3ss 1'll g3t go1ng th3n. 

DH: b3st not k33p th3 cour13r wa1t1ng.

\-- defectiveHighblood [DH] gave up trolling impairedOverseer [IO] \--


	16. Venture out

> The outside of Silvan's hive under the water seems to be a large tower, most of the structure seeming to exist just to raise Silvan's respiteblock up above sealevel.
> 
> Silvan swims out through a door about halfway down, holding his trident and making his way towards the shore. Suddenly, a white tentacle wraps around his waist.

**Talking to him can be a chore sometimes. Not that you have anything against him, you just don't seem to get along too well.**

**Not that you have a choice really, you need him for what's coming.**

**You'd better hurry, maybe you can make it around your lusus oh damnnit.**


	17. Be someone else

> Silvan struggles in the tentacle for a moment, then it cuts to black.
> 
> The screen seems to boot up, with a white flash resolving into a very different, yet oddly familiar, scene.
> 
> A young troll stands in his respiteblock. His purple recupracoon sits behind him, and he stands at a desk with a bulky-looking husktop on it.
> 
> The troll wears grey pants, black shoes and a black shirt with the following sign on it; 
> 
> What is most odd, however, are the fins we'd seen on Silvan are also present on this new troll. His black hair is short and neat, and his horns curve in toward each other in a C shape.

**You are now another young troll standing in his respiteblock.**

**What will this young fellow's name be?**


	18. ==>

> **Hey!**


	19. ==>

> 


	20. ==>

> The troll stands in a respiteblock. His purple recoupracoon is off to the side, and a simple throw pillow sits on the ground nearby. The floor is littered with various odds and ends, including several rubber balls and a couple books.

**Your name is DERMET FULTUR, and you are only 4 SWEEPS OLD, but you try to ACT OLDER SO NO ONE TEASES OR TAKES ADVANTAGE OF YOU. Still, you can be very PLAYFUL and SILLY a lot of the time. Your LUSUS AND MOIRAIL have really HELPED YOU GROWING UP, and, while you’ll NEVER ADMIT IT TO THEM, you RELY ON THEM A LOT. You were born with a mutation usually only found at the VERY TOP of the hemospectrum; you are a SEADWELLER. This mutation is looked upon WARILY, but so long as you KEEP YOUR HEAD DOWN no one bothers you too much. You enjoy TALKING WITH YOUR FRIENDS and PLAYING WITH YOUR LUSUS, and you also like FIDUSPAWN, but unfortunately you have a HARD TIME UNDERSTANDING THE RULES sometimes. You've also developed an interest in MAGIC after your MOIRAIL shared a NOW-CHERISHED book with you on the subject.**

**Things tend to WORK OUT FOR YOU a lot of the time, which may be WHY YOU'RE STILL ALIVE now. You TRY NOT to take it for GRANTED, but sometimes you just KNOW WHAT TO SAY in serious situations. You've been told this means YOU'LL GROW UP to be a RESPECTED TROLL with KEEN STRATEGIC SKILL, but you just DON'T SEE THAT HAPPENING. Your trollian handle is impairedOverseer and you're a/ways tryin9 your best to sound \/ery out9oing whene\/er you speak.**

**And most importantly of all, today is the day everyone dies.**


	21. Caw like a crow and cast a spell

> Dermet holds up a plain black wand, staring at it in confusion.

**Magic isn't real. You mean, it totally is, but you certainly can't access it, right? Sure.**

**You only have these wands as a novelty, and for strifing.**

**As for cawing like a crow, you don't even know what those are, remember? Honestly, we're never going to get anywhere if everyone has to act like some made up animal and do something silly.**


	22. Retrieve Game

> Dermet goes over to his husktop. His sylladex appears in the top corner, Dermet watching it closely as a card with a grub-looking thing on it flashes on it periodically, then grabs the grub from the card.
> 
> He then sits in front of the husktop and starts fiddling with some wires and the retrieved grub.

**You suppose it wouldn't hurt to get a jump on things. Save a bit of hassle later.**

**Now, watch... aaaand... NOW!**

**You retrieved Sgrub from your Cycle Modus!**

**This darn modus can be really annoying to use, but you've gotten pretty good at figuring out when it's time to pop out.**

**You then set to work installing the wriggling thing into your husktop.**


	23. ==>

> As Dermet works, two notifications pop up on his husktop. Both are more trolls trying to message him, with the following signs;

**There we go! All wired in, now all you have to do is install it when you're ready... oh hey, you seem popular today!**


	24. Answer the Blue troll

\-- beguiledCozen [BC] began trolling impairedOverseer [IO] \--

BC: HeY DerM!

BC: LookS LikE YoU WerE WronG AbouT SomethinG S;P

BC: JusT TalkeD TO SilV

BC: IT SeemS IM GettinG MY CopY BeforE HiM!

IO: Oh rea//y?

IO: We//

IO: If you say so.

IO: I'm ne\/er wron9, thou9h (:c

BC: DonT BE SillY

BC: EveryoneS WronG SometimeS

BC: MaybE IM JusT AN EnigmA FoR YoU!

BC: ...

BC: YoU BusY? YourE UsuallY ReallY ON ToP OF RespondinG RighT AwaY

IO: Sorry just

BC: JusT?

IO: Thinkin9.

BC: OkaY, IF YoU'RE SurE... IM A BiT WorrieD, YourE UsuallY ThE MosT ActivE!

BC: NervouS AbouT ThE GamE?

IO: You cou/d say that

BC: WelL WhateveR IT IS YoU'VE GoT QuitE ThE SupporT GrouP, EH?

IO: q:c

BC: OH DonT GivE ME ThaT FacE! EveryonE CareS AbouT YoU, DummY!

IO: I 9uess.

BC: HeY, I KnoW WhatlL CheeR YoU UP.

BC: WannA TalK AbouT WizardS?

IO: ...

IO: ..........

IO: Maybe.

BC: HaH! KneW IT.

BC: ThE DeliveravageR IS AlmosT HerE, IvE GoT SomE TimE TO KilL.


	25. ==>

IO: Okay so what did you ha\/e in mind?

BC: TelL ME AbouT ThiS MysteriouS BooK!

BC: I KnoW NothinG AbouT IT BesideS ThE FacT IT HaS WizardS IN IT, IS IT OnE OF ThosE FamouS OneS ThaT ArE GettinG MoviE AdaptationS?

IO: No no, I dont think theyd dare make this into a mo\/ie

IO: It's based on history

BC: OoH, NoW I'M ReallY InteresteD!

BC: ComE OnnnN

BC: GivE ME SomethinG TO OccupY MyselF WitH UntiL ThE GamE ArriveS!

IO: ...

IO: I\/e ne\/er rea//y ta/ked about my stuff with you, huh?

IO: We//...

IO: Okay, fine. Speak up if you want me to stop at any point.

BC: S:D


	26. ==>

> A tall figure in shadow stands at the head of a table. He wears a hooded outfit of olive, and two figures- indistinct silhouettes, actually- stand next to him.

IO: So theres an orac/e.

IO: His predictions are so 9reat, many tro//s say he'// one day become an ad\/isor to the queen. But he has a secret.

IO: He is secret/y a 9reat ma9ician, and that's where he 9ets his incredib/e prediction abi/ities.

IO: But then he made a prediction no one /iked.

BC: S:?

IO: He predicted that there wou/d be another uprisin9 that wou/d resu/t in the on/y sur\/i\/in9 tro//s on A/ternia be chi/dren. And he refused to te// more about how to stop it.

IO: So he had to 9o on the run.

IO: He e\/entua//y joined an under9round 9roup tryin9 to stay hidden from the empire. Whi/e there, he met a beautifu/ Out/ander, and the two quick/y rose throu9h the 9roup's ranks, constant/y outmatchin9 each other, and their ri\/a/ry quick/y b/ossoms into a buddin9 kismesistude. 

IO: But that's not the main p/ot, it's just important to know for the rest of the story!

BC: OH, GO ON TheN!

IO: We//, he has to /earn more than just prediction ma9ic, so once he and the out/ander reach a hi9h enou9h rankin9, they 9o out on expeditions to 9ather more books and too/s for him, and it becomes a \/ery compe//in9 book about skirtin9 the empire whi/e tryin9 to find a way to sett/e his past so he can c/ear his name... I don't want to spoi/ the endin9, in case I 9ot you hooked!

BC: AwE! WelL NoW I HavE TO KnoW S:/

IO: I cou/d /oan you the book when this is a// o\/er!

BC: I LooK ForwarD TO IT!

BC: OH, GreaT TiminG! I ThinK ThE GamE JusT ArriveD. TalK TO YoU SooN, DerM!

IO: You too!

\-- beguiledCozen [BC] gave up trolling impairedOverseer [IO] \--


	27. ==>

> Dermet stares at his screen for a moment, then slowly moves to respond to the other troll.

**\:c**


	28. Answer the green troll

\-- executiveException [EE] began trolling impairedOverseer [IO] \--

EE: d=rm=+

EE: i+s +im=

EE: don+ ignor= m=

EE: +h=r=s no on= on you n==d +o +alk +o you know +his

IO: Hey!

IO: Sorry if I upset you, I 9uess? I was ta/kin9 with BC

EE: im no+ ups=+

EE: and why ar= you +alking +o him

IO: Because he's my friend? And he's about to 9et his copy.

EE: for sur=?

EE: +ha+ is a good r=ason +o sp=ak wi+h him i gu=ss

IO: It means I mi9ht be wron9! Or maybe Si/\/an a/ready has his copy by now.

EE: w=ll s==

IO: You said it was time, what do you mean?

IO: Neither of us starts the 9ame for a 9ood whi/e yet!

EE:

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> EE's text is meant to be lime, but the Homestuck theme doesn't have an option for that as far as I am aware. If you know a fix for this let me know, otherwise I apologize but you'll have to just pretend I guess.


	29. ==>

CEE RIGHT NOW opened memo on board SGRUB =XP=R+S.

CURRENT impairedOverseer [CIO] RIGHT NOW responded to memo.  
CIO: This is such a dumb name for a memo  
CEE: i+ do=sn+ n==d +o b= a good nam= i+ s=rv=s i+s purpos=  
CIO: fine fine  
CIO: But why make a memo at a//?  
FUTURE executiveException [FEE] 10:25 HOURS FROM NOW responded to memo.  
FEE: b=caus= +his way  
FEE: w= can confirm +hings  
CIO: o:c


	30. ==>

CEE: b=for= w= confirm any+hing =ls= +hough  
CEE: d=rm=+  
CEE: fu+ur= m= will no+ answ=r all of your qu=s+ions  
FEE: ac+ually  
FEE: y=s i will  
CEE: wha+  
CIO: What  
FEE: having liv=d +hrough +his conv=rsa+ion b=for=  
FEE: i can confirm  
FEE: y=s  
FEE: no issu=s will aris= b=caus= of wha+ i answ=r  
FEE: or if any do  
FEE: i+ is +oo la+= +o fix +h=m  
CIO: Okay  
CIO: This is... odd!  
FEE: +ha+s on= way of pu++ing i+  
FEE: y=s  
FEE: i hav=n+ much +im= +hough  
FEE: so if you could ask your qu=s+ions  
FEE: +ha+ would b= gr=a+  
CIO: How wi// I know what to ask?  
CEE: don+ worry abou+ i+  
FEE: jus+ ask wha+=v=r occurs +o you firs+


	31. Check in on the blue troll

> A female troll sits in front of a brown husktop. The floor of her block is strewn with wires leading from the computer, and plenty of broken keyboards are thrown haphazardly around.
> 
> The troll herself has horns that go up and then curve down in hook shapes, and hair reaching her shoulders. She wears a black shirt and grey pants, and wears a pair of large rectangular glasses. The sign on her shirt is;

**You are now a particular blue-blooded troll. What is this girl's name, again?**


	32. ==>

> **You can't be serious.**


	33. ==>

> 


	34. Introduce yourself

> The troll seems to return to her husktop, typing away at keys while her disaster of a room is again shown off.

**Your name is NERAKA COVTUS. You are rarely without SOME ELECTRONIC DEVICE, as they can be your ONLY REAL PASSION sometimes. As such, you're often the one PEOPLE BOTHER whenever they NEED SOME KIND OF TECH HELP. You don't usually mind, but it CAN BE VERY IRRITATING SOMETIMES. Most of your friends find you ANTISOCIAL, but you NEVER REALLY CARED what they thought-- possibly because they're MOSTLY RIGHT. The trolls you DO SOCIALIZE WITH will agree you KEEP TO YOURSELF for the most part, usually LETTING THEM drive the CONVERSATION and only chiming in when you HAVE SOMETHING TO CONTRIBUTE.**

**If it hasn't been assumed yet, you are indeed a MASTER AT ALL THINGS CODE, long since becoming quite a STUDIOUS HACKER and CODESMITH. One of your BIGGEST ongoing projects is GHOSTING THE EMPIRE'S less important, and SOME OF IT'S MORE IMPORTANT, goings-on. One might say you LIKE TO STICK YOUR NOSE WHERE IT DOESN'T BELONG, you suppose. You're not stupid enough to do ANY MORE THAN JUST OBSERVE, however, so MOSTLY ALL OF YOUR VIRUSES go unused. Your trollian handle is enigmaticSalvation and you s0met1mes f0rget n0t every0ne y0u speak t0 1sn't a c0mputer.**

**What will you do now?**


	35. No, the other blue troll!

> Before Neraka can be someone else, she receives a notification with the following sign.

**Normally, you'd much rather not be _him_ of all trolls, but you are pretty busy and being someone else would take a load off...**

**But before you do, someone seems to be messaging you! Surely whatever this is won't start you on some drawn out segment, right?**


	36. Answer the bronze troll

\-- mechanizingVictimizer [MV] began trolling enigmaticSalvation [ES] \--

MV: Neraka I 4a+e +o be a bo+4er bu+ I could really use some 4elp

ES: d0n't w0rry ab0ut 1t, 1'm happy t0 help y0u (:3

MV: Is +4a+ an emo+e?

MV: Wow look a+ you cu++ing loose like +4a+

ES: and 0ffer 0f help resc1nded.

MV: Nonono 4old on

MV: Im jus+ +easing I +4oug4+ youd know 4ow +o +ake a joke by now

ES: d0 y0u want my help 0r n0t?

MV: I do! Im jus+ +rying +o be playful is all

ES: well...

ES: thank y0u, 1 supp0se

MV: Jus+ doing my job

ES: s0 what d0 y0u need?

MV: Well were supposed +o be playing +4a+ game +oday rig4+

MV: Im no+ en+irely sure my 4usk+op is up +o +4e +ask

ES: why 1s that? y0u never ment10ned any 1ssues w1th y0ur huskt0p.

MV: I+s a recen+ developmen+

ES: c0me 0n, sp1t 1t 0ut. what's wr0ng.

MV: I+s jus+ go+ +4e +iny li++le issue of being

MV: Jus+ a li++le bi+ on fire

ES: ...

ES: pard0n?

MV: I+s burs+ in+o flames Neraka.

MV: I+s like a slam poe+s sick fires only ins+ead of a poe+ i+s like a robo+ living in my 4usk+op and ins+ead of any kind of sickness i+s more ou+ of con+rol

MV: Like +4a+ slam poe+ 4ad so many sick fires i+ go+ ill

MV: And sneezed or some+4ing

MV: And now +4ose previously sick fires are mel+ing my 4usk+op

ES: c0nfus1ng metaph0r as1de

ES: my f1rst p1ece 0f adv1ce, as a c0mputer expert

ES: w0uld be t0 put the f1re 0ut

MV: Yea4 Im working on +4a+ i+s under con+rol

ES: 0kay g00d

ES: sec0nd, h0w are y0u talk1ng t0 me r1ght n0w?

MV: Well like any sensible person I make sure +o carry a+ leas+ five compu+ing devices on my person a+ all +imes

ES: 0f c0urse

MV: 4owever my 4usk+op was +4e only one wi+4 +4e power needed +o run a game

ES: that 1s a pr0blem, 1'll g1ve y0u that

MV: Yea4 +4a+s w4y Im messaging you

ES: h0w d1d th1s happen

ES: d1d 1t sp0ntane0usly c0mbust? d1d y0u actually put a slam p0et r0b0t 1n y0ur huskt0p because that w0uld certa1nly d0 the tr1ck

MV: Well

MV: No +o bo+4 of +4ose

MV: Did you by any c4ance give a cer+ain quadran+ma+e of mine a virus recen+ly

ES: are y0u fuck1ng ser10us r1ght n0w

MV: ^*~*^

ES: s11111111gn

ES: alr1ght g1ve me a few m1nutes

ES: get y0ur f1re under c0ntr0l 1'll see what 1 can d0

ES: and y0u're p0s1t1ve y0u d0n't have any way t0 just make a new 0ne 0r f1x that 0ne? y0u're always b0ast1ng ab0ut h0w g00d y0u are at bu1ld1ng th1ngs.

MV: You know darn well +4a+ all my boas+ing is backed up by +ru+4

MV: I+s jus+ really las+ minu+e and I don+ 4ave +4e par+s rig4+ now

MV: I+ +akes +ime +o ge+ w4a+ I need

ES: 1ts a l0ng sh0t but 1 may have a s0lut10n

ES: just

ES: try n0t t0 set anyth1ng else 0n f1re

MV: Will do ^*u*^

\-- enigmaticSalvation [ES] gave up trolling mechanizingVictimizer [MV] \--


	37. Try not to trip on the keyboards on your way out

> Neraka makes her way from her husktop to the door to her hive, kicking a few broken keyboards out of the way.

**You're glad you wear thick-soled shoes, because you seem to have an odd habit of breaking your keyboards. Sometimes from overuse, sometimes from viruses, and sometimes for fun. You have broken so many keyboards, it has developed into a habit bordering on fetishistic.**

**Not that you're too worried about tripping over any, though. They hardly have the weight to trip you, they're just annoying at times.**


	38. ==>

> Neraka leaves her respiteblock, making her way leisurely up a flight of stairs. She pauses in front of a hall, then dashes across as a large form crosses the hallway.

**You really don't have time to deal with your lusus right now, executing what some trolls might call a terrific lass scamper across the hall leading to her. You are not one of those trolls, and would simply refer to it as a 's1ck d0dge' or something of the like.**


	39. Ascend

> Neraka continues up the stairs. As she goes, she looks up, at the light streaming in from an open window at the top of the stairs.

**You ascend the stairs, though you feel that's an awful way of describing what is truthfully a rather boring action. There's not even a sick soundtrack playing as you do, which you imagine would be what would constitute an ominous command like that.**

**In all honesty, you're starting to feel these references are getting a little bit forced, but they have to run out eventually, right?**


	40. Exit

> Neraka stands in the doorway at the top of the stairs, and as she steps through...
> 
> The view suddenly goes dark, as if a signal was lost.
> 
> After a few moments, the view slowly fades back in, only now we're back with Silvan instead of Neraka. We see him struggling in the grasp of a large, white tentacle, his arms pinned to his sides by the appendage. He wiggles free and holds his trident tight, ready for strife!


	41. [S] Strife!

> Silvan floats in front of his lusus; a giant, white squid, staring at him with it's massive eye, as [this strife music plays.](https://soundcloud.com/qwert-sqwert-623345701/squidparent-strife) He and his guardian go back and forth for a few moments, Silvan making a few threatening jabs in the water whenever the tentacles came too close, then a button appears on screen.
> 
> Abscond.
> 
> Being the only option, pressing the button suddenly has Silvan swim away as fast as he can.


	42. Swim for shore

> Silvan rockets towards the rapidly approaching shore, looking back to make sure his massive squid guardian wasn't about to grab him again. The lusus was fading from sight now, apparently not invested in stopping him enough to give chase.

**Maybe absconding wasn't very sporting of you, but you didn't have the time to properly do battle with your lusus. Besides, he doesn't seem too worried about you now, so maybe it's okay!**

**You can't lie to yourself like that, he's gonna be VERY upset when you get back.**


	43. Emerge

> Silvan steps out of the water, returning his trident to his specibus and giving the troll on the shore a smile and wave. The troll seems ready to return the gesture, but then notices Silvan's sign and proceeds to freak out, dropping the package and hurrying away.

**Good, right on time...**

**You probably could have worn something to hide your blood colour, like a jacket or a large scarf or something. In fact, most of the time, you did this.**

**However, you didn't really feel there was a need this time.**


	44. ==>

> Silvan steps forward and picks up the package.

**No doubt the poor courier is hurrying to inform someone- likely the subjugglators or possibly even the queen herself.**

**If your existence got to any of them, you'd be hunted down and killed immediately, so you could never even attempt to take the throne. Not that it really matters. It would take the queen an extremely long time to make it back, even at light speed. She'd traveled too far away, and she'd likely prefer to deal with you herself.**

**The subjugglators, on the other hand, are unpredictable enough that you do worry they may kill you BEFORE informing the queen, or possibly imprison you to wait for her.**

**But by the time they get to you, you'll be long gone, and they'll be facing planetwide extinction.**


	45. Captchalogue the package and get back to your hive

> The package disappears from his hands, appearing in a card in a speaker-shaped deck

**You quickly captchalogue the parcel in your Rhythm Modus. It pulses in a simple rhythm, repeating infinitely. All you have to do to retrieve it is repeat that rhythm somehow, even just tapping your leg will do. The more complicated the item, the more complicated the rhythm will be.**

**Your modus can be pretty tough to master, even though it is very easy to take cards out, you'll often have to either memorize the rhythm or watch it for a few seconds, making it a slow fetch modus.**

**You sometimes use the beats produced in music, making it more of a source of inspiration than anything else.**


	46. Sneak past your lusus

> Silvan approaches his hive, stopping and looking around warily. He spots the tip of several tentacles slip into a large hole near the base of his hive, then sighs in relief.
> 
> He pauses a moment, looking up through the water at the shimmering of the pink moon of alternia through the water.

**Looks like he got bored of waiting and went inside. It's almost feeding time, so you make a mental note to feed him before you start playing, and to apologize for your behavior.**

**You look up at the night sky through the waves around you, giving yourself a moment to relax. You get the feeling it's going to be a long night.**


	47. ==>

> Silvan swims in the door, making his way up a flight of stairs. The entryway was a large open space with an archway leading to a hall, and a large trapdoor in the floor.


	48. Deploy the grub

> Silvan is now once again standing in his respiteblock. He taps out a short beat, and the package materializes in front of him. He opens it, picking up two gooey-looking software grubs and grinning eagerly.


	49. Contact your server player

\-- defectiveHighblood [DH] began trolling congenialParamour [CP] \--

DH: you th3r3? 1t says you'r3 on but 1 know you 1dl3 som3t1m3s wh1l3 you'r3 work1ng

DH: don't wanna rush you or anyth1ng but 1 am k1nd of on a sch3dul3 r1ght now

CP: =Sil<an~!=

CP: =How ar3 you, sw33ti3?=

DH: 1'm f1n3, but 1 st1ll don't r3ally go for 1t wh3n you call m3 sw33t13

CP: =Hush, you. You know you lo<3 it.=

DH: that 1s

DH: th3 OPPOS1T3 of what 1 just sa1d

DH: but what3v3r

DH: any 1d3a wh3n you'll g3t th3 gam3? 1 just got my copy and D3rm3t appar3ntly alr3ady has h1s

DH: BC m1ght alr3ady hav3 h1s too

DH: but 1 can't start unt1l you hav3 yours

CP: =Not to worry, glubby buddy.~ It should b3 arri<ing any tim3 now.= 

CP: =I'm just finishing up a littl3 hi<3cl3aning. Can't ha<3 all th3s3 lo<3ly trolls looking at my hi<3 if it's all a m3ss.=

DH: 1'll 1gnor3 th3 cuts3y n1cknam3s for now

DH: but you do real1z3 how th3 gam3 works, r1ght? your s3rv3r play3r w1ll b3 the only on3 to s33 your h1v3, 1 th1nk

CP: =Oh... Who was that again?=

DH: th3m

CP: =Oh.=

CP: =W3ll, n3<3r mind all th3 hi<3k33ping, th3y'r3 much too disorganiz3d to r3ally car3.=

DH: y3ah

DH: anyway can 1 hav3 a t1m3fram3? 1 st1ll gotta f33d my lusus and 1m not sur3 how long w3 hav3 b3for3 1ts too lat3 to start play1ng.

CP: =Ooh, so myst3rious~ And cryptic, you know just how to play with my f33lings, cuddl3fish~=

DH: okay that's wh3r3 1 draw th3 l1n3

CP: =H3h3h3h3h3=

DH: 1'm go1ng to f33d my lusus. l3t m3 know wh3n you g3t th3 gam3, my copy 1s 1nstall1ng now, so you should b3 abl3 to conn3ct to m3.

CP: =I can't wait to s33 who I'<3 b33n t3asing all this tim3 <3=

CP: =That was a h3art by th3 way, not a ve.=

DH: thanks for cl3ar1ng that up

\-- defectiveHighblood [DH] gave up trolling congenialParamour [CP] \--


	50. Rejoin strife with your guardian!

> Silvan swims down through the trap door on the main floor, pulling a large bag behind him.

**Hardly any need for more strifing, your guardian should be over that by now. Especially since you come bearing food now.**


	51. ==>

> Silvan dumps the bag in front of his giant squid lusus, dead fish slowly sinking down in front of the lusus, who grabbed it with it's tentacles and pulled it all in to feed.

**You don't know what you'd do if something happened to him. While you've never seen eye to eye... and not just because of how big his eyes were, of course... he has put himself through a lot to try and protect you over the sweeps.**


	52. ==>

> The view shifts to Silvan's room again, where the husktop gives off a notification telling us that someone with the following sign is messaging him: 

\-- congenialParamour [CP] began trolling defectiveHighblood [DH] \--

CP: =Alright, Sil<an! Just got my copy, downloading it now~=

CP: =I'll try g3tting a f33l for th3 controls whil3 you'r3 busy. L3t m3 know wh3n you g3t this, don't l3a<3 a girl waiting~=


	53. CP: Fiddle around with the controls

> A large blue house-shaped cursor, divided into thirteen squares, you know the kind, appears on screen, and starts moving around. It goes back and forth between moving Silvan's recoupracoon and his desk slightly, accomplishing nothing.


	54. Silvan: Return to your block

> Silvan stands in the doorway to his respiteblock, looking exasperated as his desk is delicately placed in front of him.

CP: =Oh, th3r3 you ar3, cuti3!=

CP: =No n33d to troubl3 yours3lf, allow m3 to 3x3rt my n3wfound abiliti3s and d3li<3r your d3sk to you~=

CP: =Th3r3 you go.=

DH: h3y

CP: =Y3s~?=

DH: you know, som3t1m3s 1 wond3r what rol3 you play 1n our quadrant

CP: =I just try to k33p 3<3ryon3 on th3ir to3s 3:9=

DH: oh what3v3r

DH: hav3 you f1gur3d out th3 controls or d1d you want to throw my load gap3r 1n h3r3 too?

CP: =I think I'<3 got it=

CP: =I think I just n33d to d3ploy a f3w things for you.=

CP: =That's what D3rm3t said, anyway.=

DH: D3rm3t? how do3s h3 know what h3's do1ng alr3ady?

CP: =I'm not sur3, but I ha<3 th3 f33ling h3 and 33 ar3 in cahoots~=

DH: cahoots

CP: =Y3s, cahoots!=

DH: do3sn't surpr1s3 m3 r3ally, 33's always b33n pr3tty myst3r1ous about how h3 knows what h3 do3s

DH: at l3ast w3 can g3t th1ngs mov1ng along qu1ckly. 1 m3an, 1f 1t wasn't for th1s lucky br3ak, w3 could hav3 b33n runn1ng around b31ng fools for a stup1d long t1m3

CP: =Agr33d, it's much b3tt3r to just jump ah3ad to th3 mor3 int3r3sting stuff, rath3r than just ha<3 to sp3nd hours l3arning to play th3 gam3!=

CP: =So, wh3r3 would you lik3 it? I can probably fit most of it in your r3spit3block, but it might b3 a bit tight if w3 try to squ33z3 3<3rything into it=

CP: =On th3 oth3r hand, I don't know if it will all work und3rwat3r! You should ha<3 a d3ck or som3thing, lik3 m3.=

CP: =Ooh, hold on~=.

DH: what3v3r you'r3 do1ng 1t b3tt3r not b3 mak1ng that crash1ng no1s3.


	55. ==>

> The cursor builds a large platform extending out from Silvan's respiteblock, at the surface of the water but just high enough that it doesn't flow over. It then copies a door from his block and adds it to the wall separating the block from the new platform.


	56. ==>

> Silvan stands in the doorway to the deck as his server starts off by deploying the cruxtruder, the large white machine taking up about of a quarter of the available space on the improvised deck.

DH: why 1s th3r3 a door

CP: =Go out and s33, Sil<i3~= 

DH: ...

DH: damnn1t

CP: =H3h3h3!=

DH: f1n3 what3v3r just mak3 sur3 1t's b1g 3nough for what3v3r you n33d 1t for

CP: =It should b3! Just gi<3 m3 on3 s3cond to d3ploy 3<3rything, th3n you can g3t start3d!=

DH: and not a m1nut3 too soon...

CP: =What do you m3an by that?=


	57. ==>

> Silvan stares up at the night sky, his face tinted slightly pink from the glow of one of alternia's moons.

DH: l3ts just say a countdown has off1c1ally b3gun.


	58. ==>

> In the dark night sky, red dots appear among the stars, slowly getting bigger until it's clear what they are.
> 
> Meteors.


	59. Be BC

> A young male troll stands in his respiteblock. His hair is neat, and his left horn curves down, while the right curves upwards. He wears grey pants and a black shirt with his sign on it, as pictured below. Over the shirt, he wears a jacket a few shades darker than his pants.
> 
> On the floor next to him is a simple blue husktop, and at the back of the room, leaning against his blue recupracoon, is a large sledgehammer. On the wall is a poster of Troll Will Smith's 'The Thresh Prince of Bel Air'.

**You are now BC. What's with all this skirting around names, anyway? Let's meet him already!**


	60. ==>

******Excuse me?**


	61. ==>

**That's better.**


	62. ==>

**Your name is JEJUNE MISPRE. You are, as you like to think of yourself, a PERFECTLY AVERAGE troll. However, if one were to view you from some OUTSIDE PERSPECTIVE, they would likely see that is ANYTHING BUT THE CASE. You find those LOWER ON THE HEMOSPECTRUM to be FASCINATING, and are often APPALLED BY THE TREATMENT OF THEM by others in your blood caste or those around it. Of course, you are indeed QUITE HIGH ON THE SPECTRUM, and some RESPECT is definitely due for you, and therefore MORE RESPECT IS DUE to those above you, but VERY RARELY DO YOU PULL RANK among your friends.**

**You dream of one day joining the RUFFIANNIHILATORS, but unfortunately, you lack the INCREDIBLE STRENGTH many of your caste are known for. You are still QUITE STRONG, but most of your strength comes from HARD WORK AND TRAINING. You also have a secret passion for ROMANCE STORIES, and while there of course is NOTHING SHAMEFUL about this, you find it necessary to HIDE THIS FACT, lest it get back to your NEIGHBOR.**

**You just saw the deliveravager going between lawnrings towards your hive, and are excited to tell your FRIENDS about it!**


	63. Grab your hammer and get training!

> Jejune lifts the sledgehammer over his head, gritting his teeth. After a moment, however, he puts it back down and stares out the window boredly.
> 
> Outside, still very small in the distance, a red shape moves closer.

**Yes! Bettering oneself waits for no troll!**

**...**

**But maybe this troll can wait to better himself. You can see the deliveravager now! You can't waste all your time training, maybe you should see about letting your leader know that it is almost time.**


	64. Message your leader

> Jejune settles in front of his husktop.

\-- beguiledCozen [BC] began trolling defectiveHighblood [DH] \-- 

BC: HeY SilV

BC: YoU TherE?

BC: DoN'T WanT TO KeeP YoU IF YoU'RE BusY IT'S JusT

BC: TodaY'S ThE DaY!

They proceed to have [this previous conversation](https://archiveofourown.org/works/19980025/chapters/47595661).


	65. Clean your hive!

> Jejune hurries around his block, showing off it's full scope. It has a few small piles of clothes as well as what looks like rubble and stuffing, as well as several troll-shaped dummies standing around. They were likely training dummies, if the chunks taken out of them were anything to go by.
> 
> Jejune runs around, kicking things around and tossing piles of clothing into corners, before hurrying back to his coon and picking up his hammer. The hammerkind strife deck is displayed in the corner with the large sledgehammer allocated to it, as the blueblood performs an expert Youth Roll to one of the dummies before hitting it with his weapon.
> 
> The dummy takes the blows for a few moments before Jejune rushes back to his coon, dropping the hammer and repeating this process.

**You proceed to do your best to clean up your block. In the process, you notice one of your training dummies looking at you funnily! You decide to teach it a lesson, grabbing your weapon and strifing with the judgmental dummy for a bit before remembering that you have a job to do!**

**Yes, this is very stupid.**


	66. Finish already!

> Jejune stands in the middle of his still-extremely-messy block.

**You proceed to finish cleaning, having accomplished absolutely nothing.**


	67. Pass the time by talking to Dermet!

\-- beguiledCozen [BC] began trolling impairedOverseer [IO] \--

BC: HeY DerM!

BC: LookS LikE YoU WerE WronG AbouT SomethinG S;P

BC: JusT TalkeD TO SilV

BC: IT SeemS IM GettinG MY CopY BeforE HiM!

They proceed to have [this previous conversation](https://archiveofourown.org/works/19980025/chapters/48274528).


	68. Greet the Deliveravager!

> Jejune hurries down a large staircase, smiling excitedly.

**Of course! It just has one or two more hives to go, then you get to play with everyone! It's going to be so much fun!**


	69. ==>

> Jejune stands in the open doorway to large hive that is built so it extends in all directions like a disoriented tree. Next door is a castle-like hive a bit smaller in scale than his.

**You'll greet them at the door! Best to avoid any possible confrontations with your neighbor. The deliveravager should be right... wait a moment...**


	70. ==>

> A large troll wearing a bright red robe with the three prongs designating them as a servant of Her Highness being represented as a sash that splits into three sections at the small of their back stands in the doorway to a large hive themed like a human medieval castle, which seems to be directly across from Jejune's. The Deliveravager carries a sack attached to their sash, and a blue package is peeking out of the sack.

**It seems you may have jumped the proverbial gun slightly. The deliveravager is currently delivering a package to that neighbor you hate so much. Sometimes you wish a meteor would fall on his hive so he would leave you in peace, but what are the odds of that happening?**


	71. [S] Shit: HAPPEN

> As Jejune stares across the lawnrings at the deliveravager, a glint in the doorway they are standing in front of is seen. Before anything further happens, we cut back to Silvan, and [this track](https://soundcloud.com/qwert-sqwert-623345701/happen) starts playing.
> 
> Silvan stands on his newly made balcony, staring up at the sky as meteors streak across it. The remaining sburb machines are set up around him, with the totem lathe directly beside him, the cruxtruder right behind him in the left corner and the alchemiter in the right one. As the meteors approach, Silvan's trident appears in his hand and he jams the prongs under the lid of the cruxtruder. With a heave, the trident is used as a crobar and pries the lid off, sending it flying off to land in the ocean somewhere. Emerging from the cruxtruder comes a kernelsprite-- the flashing, changing, fuchsia orb hovering next to Silvan as he stares at it in confusion, bathed in it's light. A timer appears on the cruxtruder, starting at 1:39 and counting down.
> 
> This moment is interrupted as the entire hive seems to shake, making Silvan flail wildly to keep his balance.
> 
> It flashes to Neraka, who is standing on the roof of a massive treehouse hive. She peers through a telescope, and we can see the meteors streaking down in the scope's reflection. Neraka steps back and a keyboard appears in front of her. Her fingers blur over the keys, and a thick-looking captchalogue card with a husktop contained within. The keyboard disappears, and a long chain appears in the troll's hands.
> 
> It then flashes to Dermet, staring at his husktop for a long moment before typing away at it quickly. The grubs on the ground hooked up to his husktop start to pulse and writhe as he starts the game.
> 
> Now, Silvan is rushing down through the water, which is stained pink around him. He stops, staring in horror at the sight before him-- 
> 
> His Squid Lusus is pressed against the wall of the hive. Cracks spiderweb out from around him, but the real horror is the bloody hole where his eye used to be. A large meteorite, stained with the lusus' blood, lays on the seabed below. The kernelsprite follows behind Silvan, darting around him without a care in the world.
> 
> Neraka grits her teeth, staring through her telescope and swinging the chain in a circle. The other end is tied around the card with the husktop, and as she releases it, the chain and card go sailing upwards, arcing until it is struck from the sky by a falling meteor!
> 
> There is a sudden white flash, and we see the deliveravager near Jejune again. There is a sword blade stained with olive green blood next to them, and slowly, the top half of the deliveravager's torso falls away, olive blood spraying everywhere and revealing a pair of eyes glaring out from the darkness of the doorway, and an arm with an indigo sleeve catches the deliveravager's pack deftly, the package within being again shown for a brief moment.
> 
> Silvan explodes from the water's surface, an angry snarl on his face as he looks at the machines in front of him. Several notifications displaying CP's sign go off from his husktop, but he ignores them and spins the crank on the cruxtruder, the force of the turn making it spin quickly and shoot out plenty of fuchsia-coloured cruxite dowels. He catches one and puts it into the totem lathe, tapping it angrily in a simple pattern as a pre-punched card appears and slides neatly into the empty slot in the lathe. Fuchsia tears drip onto the floor as he takes the now carved totem.
> 
> Dermet stares out his window as the meteors fall, his mouth screwed up in a sad grimace as the rocks streak by.
> 
> Jejune snarls and grabs his hammer, leaping towards the murderous troll that just stole his package. The hammer's swing, while true and strong, was blocked by a door as it was suddenly slammed closed in front of it, making Jejune fall back onto his rear.
> 
> Silvan stands in front of a small, bright fuchsia, brick tower, which has appeared on his Alchemiter's large platform. Fuchsia streaks stain his face as he glares at it, a look of resolve in his gaze.
> 
> Neraka sighs in relief, watching the meteor go before turning to head back inside.
> 
> The clock on Silvan's cruxtruder reads a mere 0:09 now.
> 
> Jejune is slamming his hammer into the door, but seems to be making no headway no matter how desperately he attacks.
> 
> Silvan grips his trident tightly, staring up as a large meteor speeds towards him.
> 
> Dermet looks back at his husktop as it seems to be giving him notifications from someone.
> 
> The trident stabs through the tower with ease, bricks flying every which-way as the red light of the meteor bears down on the troll, before it all cuts to an empty blackness.


	72. END OF ACT 1




	73. >

> The curtains fade to black. A green loading bar soon appears, slowly moving up from 0 to 100%.
> 
> The loading bar fades away, and we see a view of a night sky. Alternia's two moons shine brightly through the clouds, as the view slowly pans down to a mountain. The view continues to pan, moving in to a cave in the side of the mansion and moving inside. We see a husktop sitting on the cave floor, it's screen on and shining brightly.


	74. ACT 2

In the cave, we see a shadowy figure approach the husktop. What appears to be it's hair is windblown and messy, but not too long. There are small, round shapes on it's head.


	75. Figure: Reveal yourself

> The figure moves into the light, revealing itself. It is a troll wearing plain white shoes, grey pants, and a black shirt with the following symbol on it: 
> 
> His outline matches that seen in the previous page, with his hair messy while his horns curl in on top of his head. Most disturbing of all of this is the blank white eyes he has, possessing no pupils.


	76. Who is this troll?

**Alright, that's enough of that!**


	77. Try again?

> You're about to try again, when there is a flash of light and suddenly, the name box shatters!

**That bit has run it's course. We're on Act 2 now, don't you think it's time we move away from references that serve no purpose other than to delay an actual introduction for two pages?**


	78. =====>

**Your name is ACODER BYTEND. You USED TO BE VERY OPTIMISTIC, but BEING DEAD made you a PRETTY BIG PESSIMIST, not to mention quite STOIC at times. You've found it DIFFICULT to enjoy the things you USED TO ENJOY, instead pushing yourself to do WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE to SAVE YOUR FRIENDS, but before you DIED you enjoyed FLARPING and WRITING STORIES most. You also DABBLED in FIDUSPAWN on occasion.**

**You are often found to be rather CRYPTIC, and have a HARD TIME EMPATHIZING with others. You tend to give off a bit of an EMOTIONLESS air, but this is mostly because you DON'T ALLOW YOURSELF to let EMOTION get in the way of your GOALS. You have also LEARNED PATIENCE, as you have been WAITING TO ACCOMPLISH these goals ever since you DIED, which was LONGER AGO THAN YOU CAN REMEMBER. You don't have many FRIENDS ANYMORE, but you STILL HAVE ENOUGH CONNECTIONS to accomplish your MISSION. Your trollian handle is executiveException, and you of+=n hav= difficul+y sp=aking cl=arly +o o+h=rs.**

**What will you do?**


	79. Explore your cave hideout!

> The entirety of the cave is now in view, and we can see that it is simply a one-room cave. The husktop sits on the ground, and the walls are a dark grey-blue colour.
> 
> Acoder stands in the middle of the cavern, in front of his husktop.

**You've been hiding out in this cave for some time, as it is in the prime location for your goals. You instructed Silvan to have your package delivered to the hive nearby, and you would take care of the rest- to which he apparently complied, but since you are, of course, up a mountain, it will take some time before the packages actually arrive.**


	80. Contact your future self and Dermet

**You could certainly do that again, but you've already gotten everything settled. You're currently ghosting- if you'll pardon the wordplay-** **the memo while Future you answers Dermets remaining questions.**

**You will look it over later, to make sure you know what to say and expect when you join this memo in the future, but for now you have to get moving, to make sure the remaining holdout won't be a problem when it comes to entering the game.**


	81. =====>

\-- executiveException [EE] began trolling rapaciousConniver [RC] \--

EE: h=y

RC: What do you want?

EE: your packag= will b= arriving soon

RC: 7 told S7lvan not to s3nd th3 damn th7ng to m3, 7 don't 4now why you s33m to car3 so much.

RC: 7'm not go7ng to play your dumb gam3, 7 hav3 much mor3 7mportant th7ngs to do.

EE: ah y=s. +h= conqu=s+ of +rollkind won+ s+ar+ wi+hou+ you and all +ha+

EE: =v=n +hough playing +his gam= will allow you +o asc=nd +o godhood

RC: Y3ah, 7'm call7ng bullsh7t on that. A gam3 can't do that.

EE: and your= +oo s+ubborn +o lis+=n +o a lowblood +ha+ shouldn+ =v=n b= aliv=, youv= said all +his b=for=

RC: You'r3 m7squot7ng m3, 7 don't l743 that.

RC: 7'm far mor3 conc3rn3d w7th you not only b37ng a l7m3blood, but a troll that 7s OP3NLY a l7m3blood, 3v3n though you w3r3 3rad7cat3d a long t7m3 ago.

EE: im fully awar=.

EE: bu+ you ar=n+ jus+ a random s=l=c+ion

EE: you ar= r=quir=d +o play wi+h us

RC: 7'm not R3QU7R3D to do ANYTH7NG, Acod3r. 7 may not b3 7n charg3 y3t, but 7 sur3 as H3LL outran4 YOU.

EE: silvan has also ask=d +ha+ you play

RC: S7lvan 7s a good ally, and 7 r3pay th7s by not r3v3al7ng h7s s3cr3t. Play7ng som3 dumb gam3 7s hardly part of that arrang3m3nt.

EE: h=s your b=s+ fri=nd. in fac+, h= may b= your only fri=nd, so p=rhaps you should b= a li++l= mor= coop=ra+iv=

EE: i don+ lik= you on principl=, bu+ i also don+ lik= you on a p=rsonal l=v=l. how=v=r, i know +ha+ +his conv=rsa+ion will n==d +o go on un+il on= of us backs down, and i am =x+r=m=ly pa+i=n+

RC: You may hav3 a po7nt, but 7 hav3 a count3rpo7nt.

\-- rapaciousConniver [RC] blocked executiveException [EE] \--


	82. Recruit some assistance!

**Hm. That's not a horrible idea. As you mentioned, Silvan had already asked him to play and been denied, so who could work some kind of magic and get him to cooperate...**

**You're only pretending to wonder, of course. You know exactly who can influence this troll into playing.**


	83. =====>

\-- executiveException [EE] began trolling mechanizingVictimizer [MV] \--

EE: i n==d your h=lp

MV: W4a+? No 4ello? S+raig4+ +o +4e poin+ as usual 4u4


	84. =====>

> Acoder sits in front of his husktop, the light from the screen illuminating his face and his blank, white eyes.

EE: of cours=

EE: +im= is of +h= =ss=nc=

MV: Rig4+ Ive 4eard. If youre making sure Im able +o play +4e answer is s+ill yes. My package s4ould be arriving any +ime now so jus+ relax

EE: whil= +ha+s good +o h=ar +ha+ isn+ wha+ im m=ssaging you abou+

MV: O4?

EE: w= hav= a holdou+ s+ill

EE: and your= +h= only on= +ha+ can chang= his mind

MV: W4o are you +alking abou+

MV: Wai+

MV: O4 you 4ave GO+ +o be kidding me

EE: im no+ known for kidding

MV: You +4ink IM +4e one +o ask abou+ +4is

EE: y=s

MV: You realize Im 4is kismesis rig4+

EE: y=s

MV: And 4es likely +o refuse w4a+ I +ell 4im +o do jus+ +o spi+e me

EE: y=s

MV: S+op saying yes

EE: ...

MV: And were sure we absolu+ely need 4im for +4is

EE: y=s

EE: sorry

EE: corr=c+

MV: +4a+ fel+ passive aggressive bu+ Ill le+ i+ slide

EE: p=rhaps

MV: Ug4444 youre worse +4an Neraka

MV: Fine

MV: Ill see w4a+ I can do

EE: much appr=cia+=d

EE: +h= soon=r +h= b=++=r

EE: +h= copi=s ar= on +h=ir way

EE: good luck

\-- executiveException [EE] gave up trolling mechanizingVictimizer [MV] \--


	85. MV: Reveal yourself

> A female troll stands in a respiteblock. Her horns curve down from the sides of her head, forming a giant curve between them. Her hair is in a ponytail down her back, and she wears a black shirt and a pair of grey overalls over them. On the overalls is the following sign, with the two curves on the sides wrapping around the buttons of the overalls;
> 
> Her respiteblock is strewn with wires and bits of metal, half of a robot leaning up against a wall, and her brown recuperacoon sits near it. She stands in front of a table with a brown husktop on it, connected to many of the wires covering the floor.

**And who is this, now?**


	86. Introduce yourself!

**There is a slight pause as you wait for the name box to appear, likely with some humourous, if incorrect, name that you couldn't read anyway. It dawns on you that that won't be happening again, and you finally get to the introduction the day after you see this troll! Huzzah!**

**Your name is LESMET AUTONO. You are very PLAYFUL TROLL, and always seem to BOUNCE BACK from anything that happens, taking it in STRIDE and WORKING HARD TO move PAST IT. You've recently gotten into FIDUSPAWN, and have been trying to GET SOME OF YOUR FRIENDS INTO IT, with LITTLE SUCCESS SO FAR. You also love CAUSING MISCHIEF, especially when you're causing it with a HIGHBLOOD. Especially ONE HIGHBLOOD IN PARTICULAR.**

**When you're ANXIOUS OR UPSET, you like to CALM YOURSELF DOWN by TINKERING WITH MACHINES, which you have started doing as a HOBBY as well, even MAKING A FEW ROBOTS out of SCRAP PARTS YOU'VE FOUND. This hobby, along with your LUSUS, has coined you the nickname GREASEMONKEY, which you find yourself getting a LOT OF ENJOYMENT OUT OF. As you've PROBABLY MADE OBVIOUS, you are a TOP- NOTCH MECHANIC. You're also one of the BIGGEST COMPUTER GEEKS YOU KNOW, second only to ONE OTHER.**

**You've also recently been getting into SPECIALIZED COMBAT, and have PICKED UP a few different FIGHTING STYLES, specializing in the use of your LEGS, which helps you KEEP UP WITH the more ENERGETIC trolls you HANG OUT WITH. Your trollian handle is mechanizingVictimizer and you 4ave a bi+ of a 4eavy +one w4en you speak**


	87. Just get it over with.

\-- mechanizingVictimizer [MV] began trolling rapaciousConniver [RC] \--

MV: 4ey ass4ole

RC: Ah, what a lov3ly th7ng to b3 gr33t3d w7th.

RC: 7f you'r3 hop7ng to 3ngag3 7n som3 mor3 bant3r, 7'm afra7d 7 hav3 much mor3 7mportant th7ngs to do than amus3 you.

MV: O4 Im sorry am I in+errup+ing your diary wri+ing

MV: Wai+ no +4a+s rig4+

MV: I+s no+ a diary i+s a no+ebook for all your sc4emes and plans

MV: Or 4as i+ c4anged again

RC: 7t has not. 

RC: 7 suppos3 congratulat7ons 7s an ord3r, you corr3ct3d your 7nsult wh7l3 st7ll try7ng to b3l7ttl3 m3.

MV: Bi+e me

RC: At l3ast you ma43 an 3ffort to uphold our quadrant, d3sp7t3 my cl3ar sup3r7or7ty. 433p th7s up and p3rhaps 7'll grant you a pos7t7on of pow3r 7n my n3w world ord3r.

RC: Noth7ng w7th any r3al author7ty, of cours3, but 7'm sur3 7 can f7nd som3 us3 for you.

RC: P3rhaps a court j3st3r? Or a j3st3cut7on3r, so you can amus3 m3 wh7l3 st7ll b3n3f7tt7ng my rul3.

MV: Ill pass +4anks

RC: Probably for th3 b3st. 7 was ly7ng anyway.

MV: Yea4 I figured

MV: Anyway I didn+ message you +o ban+er as you sugges+ed

RC: W3r3 you, p3rhaps, r3cru7t3d to do th7s, th3n?

RC: By a c3rta7n troll w7th an 3xt7nct blood colour, all3dg3dly?

MV: I know w4ere youre going wi+4 +4is and +4e answer is bo+4 yes and no

MV: Yes 4e +old me you weren+ playing

MV: No Im no+ going +o +ell you +o play +4e game

MV: 4ones+ly i+ jus+ seems like youd be a big 4indrance +o us

MV: Or a+ leas+ +o me

RC: 7 b3g your pardon?

MV: W4en was +4e las+ +ime you played a coopera+ive game

MV: You 4ave no in+erpersonal skills and youre jus+ going +o ruin all of our 4ard work

MV: +4a+s w4y youll always fail in your sc4emes

MV: You can+ pu+ up wi+4 anyone else 4aving a common goal wi+4 you

RC: Don't b3 r3d7culous, 7 hav3 7nt3rp3rsonal s47lls!

MV: Name one real friend you 4ave besides Silvan

MV: I don+ coun+ Im your kismesis

RC: O4ay so mayb3 7 don't hav3 a lot of fr73nds.

MV: +4ere we go

MV: So basically

MV: Jus+ don+ worry abou+ w4a+ Acoder says

MV: We don+ need you


	88. =====>

RC: Oh. 

RC: So that's how 7t 7s. 

RC: F7rst of all, fuc4 you. 

RC: S3cond, 7'm go7ng to prov3 you wrong, r7ght now. 

RC: 7n fact, 7 hav3 just th3 th7ng. 

RC: You'r3 go7ng to b3 prostrat7ng yours3lf at my f33t, apolog7z7ng and b3gg7ng for forg7v3n3ss wh3n you s33 th7s.

MV: I doub+ i+

RC: F7n3, l3t m3 just s3nd 7t!

\-- rapaciousConniver [RC] sent a file: "[h3r3syourproof.ath ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ)" \--

MV: Okay bu+ I don+ +4ink w4a+evers in +4is file wi  


\-- mechanizingVictimizer's [MV'S] computer exploded --


	89. =====>

> Lesmet stands in front of the flaming wreckage of her husktop, an angry glare etched onto her face as she empties a glass of water onto the flame to put it out.

**That was too far, even for him. You have a sneaking suspicion you know just who to go to for this, and she's most likely the one he went to for the file that just reduced your husktop to a useless pile of garbage.**


	90. =====>

> Lesmet suddenly has a pair of large, grey goggles on, the lenses blacked out aside from an image of Neraka's sign on each.

\-- mechanizingVictimizer [MV] began trolling enigmaticSalvation [ES] \--

MV: Neraka I 4a+e +o be a bo+4er bu+ I could really use some 4elp

ES: d0n't w0rry ab0ut 1t, 1'm happy t0 help y0u (:3

They proceed to have [this previous conversation.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/19980025/chapters/48660281)


	91. Update

Hey! So I haven't updated this in some time. Due to a bunch of stressers popping up, sure, but mostly because of Homestuck^2 coming out, I wanted to let that roll for a while before I do anything more. When things calm down I may return to this, and I also intend to go back and redo a couple of things in the meantime. Just wanted to let you all know.


End file.
